By Karen Bong
KUCHING, March 21: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Women will be adopting a consolidated but fluid strategy to strengthen the coalition and to ensure Sarawak remains in the safe hands of GPS post the 12th state election.
GPS Women-cum-Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) chief Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah emphasised that they had full confidence in the coalition’s leadership.
“We will continue to give our undivided support to our leaders to lead GPS. We take full cognisance of the current political climate, both at the national and state levels,” she told a press conference after the first meeting of GPS Women at PBB headquarters in Jalan Bako here today.
The meeting was attended by GPS component parties, including Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Women chief Kho Teck Wan, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) deputy Women chief Rosalind Neging and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) Women chief Datuk Chiew Yen Chew.
“We will give undivided support to our elected representatives in our constituencies as well as our top leaders. Our common stand is that we will work hard and stay committed to ensuring GPS continues to rule Sarawak after the next state election.”
Fatimah elaborated that GPS Women would take both macro and micro strategies to strengthen the coalition, including engaging with individual party members at every level across the state to familiarise them with the ruling alliance’s struggles.
On today’s meeting, Fatimah shared that they discussed the political scenario and preparations to face the state election, due in 2021.
GPS Women would be carrying out programmes and activities to bring together women members of all component parties. There would be public lectures also for the benefit of the community, especially young people.
“We will be organising a GPS Women retreat to involve all committee members from GPS component parties. There will also be a public lecture tentatively on June 29 to share and discuss the Petroleum Development Act 1974 (PDA), Oil Mining Ordinance 1958 (OMO), Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).”
Other activities to benefit the people, Fatimah continued, would be related to career and employment, harmony and solidarity as well as domestic violence and violence against children, which has recorded a worrying trend.
“It will be a programme to be held all year long as our social responsibility for women and children,” she said.
On another matter, she said GPS Women condemned in the strongest terms the recent incident in Christchurch, New Zealand, that had caused immense sufferings and loss of innocent lives perpetrated by hate, intolerance and extremism.
“In this time of reflection, Sarawakians must remind themselves of their unique multi-ethnicity and multi-religious heritage and resolve never to let our peace and unity be compromised,” she advised. — DayakDaily
